Translated with AI
Seven thousand steps a day could be enough to reduce the risk of dementia, cancer and other diseases, according to a new study. It is a much more realistic target than the popular 10,000 steps a day, the BBC reports.
A new study has been published in the scientific journal Lancet Public Health – a systematic review and meta-analysis of articles on the correlation between steps and health published in scientific journals between 2014 and 2025.
While previous studies on this topic have focused on heart health and mortality, the authors of the new publication tried to answer the question of how the number of steps taken affects the risk of developing a number of diseases.
In total, the article analyzes data on the health and steps taken by more than 160 thousand people.
The authors of the publication concluded that 7,000 steps a day – compared with 2,000 steps a day – reduced the risk of dementia (by 38%), cardiovascular disease (by 25%), depression (by 22%), type 2 diabetes (by 14%) and cancer (by 6%).
Some of these figures, however, are based on a small number of studies and may be less accurate than others.
Overall, the new review suggests that even 4,000 steps a day is associated with better health than 2,000 steps a day.
For most conditions, extra steps—after 7,000—don't bring much benefit. Longer walks may be beneficial only for heart health.
Where did the 10k recommendation come from?
The scientists believe their findings could inspire more people to count their steps and thus take care of their health.
"We think we should be walking 10,000 steps a day, but that's not based on data," said one of the study's authors, University of Sydney professor Melody Ding.
The popular idea that you need to walk 10,000 steps a day is a marketing myth that dates back to the 1960s.
In the lead-up to the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, a pedometer called the Manpo-kei, which translates from Japanese as "10,000-step counter," hit the market.
Ding notes that the number was taken out of context and became an unofficial recommendation that made its way into numerous fitness trackers and mobile phone apps.
So how many steps are needed?
Most official recommendations are based on the duration of a given activity, rather than the number of steps taken.
The British National Health Service, for example, recommends 10 minutes of brisk walking a day.
The World Health Organization, in turn, recommends that adults engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or at least 75 minutes of intense aerobic activity per week.
According to Melody Ding, this advice may not be clear to many people, but it is useful for those who cannot walk much.
"Some people cycle, swim, or have physical limitations that prevent them from getting the steps they need," she says.
Ding believes the number of steps per day could be added to official guidelines to "encourage people to think about how they distribute their physical activity throughout the day."
Daniel Bailey, an expert in sedentary behaviour and health at Brunel University in London, says that for people who are active, 10,000 steps is a reasonable target. But for less active people, 5,000 to 7,000 steps may be a more realistic and achievable goal.
Andrew Scott, senior lecturer in clinical exercise physiology at the University of Portsmouth, agrees that the exact number is not all that important.
He says "the more the better," but people shouldn't get hung up on a specific number, especially if they're not particularly active on a given day.
